This is a psychological thriller that kept me captivating
It’s part of a series but can be read as a standalone
There was a lot of research done on police procedures
A good book

A good read and a gritty one. I realise this is part of a series and is around the fifth I think but I didn't feel I missed anything from not having read those.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Lorraine Mace’s DCI Paolo Sterling is back in another gritty, heart-twisting and pulse-pounding crime thriller that will keep readers guessing until the very last page: Love Me Tender.

Newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector Paolo Sterling’s latest case is going to end up testing him and his team like never before. Responding to a tip-off, he arrives at an apartment block and finds the dismembered body of a young woman. There is no sign of a forced entry nor is there anything which indicates that this could have been a robbery gone wrong; rather the evidence points squarely to the fact that the assailant was known to the victim. Sterling and his team find themselves barraged by a plethora of questions with no answers in sight and the case ends up getting even more complicated when the victim’s friend is abducted. There are no witnesses, no leads and not a single shred of evidence that could help Sterling and his team find out who is behind these two heinous acts of violence.

Sterling has got a lot on his plate. Other than this very complex case, he is also leading the surveillance of a local club, thought to be involved in a drug operation. The risks are sky-high and the stakes are even higher, but when one of his team ends up in hospital with their life in jeopardy, Sterling finds himself getting closer and closer to the edge. Time is running out, there is danger round every corner and Sterling isn’t any closer to solving this case. Will he manage to uncover the truth before more lives are lost? Or has Sterling run out of time?

Lorraine Mace’s Love Me Tender is edgy, gritty and twisted crime fiction full of danger, menace, tension and suspense. A heart-stopping chiller where the pace is relentless, the shocks come thick and fast and the ending will have readers picking their jaws up from the floor, Love Me Tender is a superb crime thriller so brilliantly plotted and cleverly written that it is an absolute struggle to put down.

Dark, compulsive and terrifying, Lorraine Mace is on top form with her latest Paolo Sterling thriller, Love Me Tender.

DI Sterling continues in book 5 of the series, a woman is brutally murdered in her home, her friend is later snatched and resources are stretched by an investigation into a local club. To make matters more complicated someone in his own team is out to cause him problems.

Another series I managed to accidently start out of order, despite this being book 5 and having no idea what has happened in previous instalments I really enjoyed this. I will definitely be going back to book one after reading this and looking out for the next one! Given that it was 5 books in it took me a little while to get stuck in with the characters but I was invested in them throughout the book. There was strong character relationships and development which is the number one thing I need to enjoy a book. The plot was interesting and I read this book in a couple of days. There were a couple of small details that I don't think were tied up completely which is why this is a 4 not a 5 star but I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is the first book I’ve read in the DI Stirling series. A good read that kept you guessing. I would recommend to read the others in the series first as some of the storyline is related to previous books in the series

DCI Paolo Sterling has just been promoted but has trouble at work with a disgruntled colleague who has the ear of their superior. Their drugs case has stalled and then a murder is discovered and another woman vanishes. The pressure on Sterling is intense...
Love Me Tender is the fifth book in the police thriller series by Lorraine Mace. It is the first book I have read by this author and works perfectly well as a standalone novel. There are references to events in the past but they are easy to follow if you haven't read the previous books.
Paolo is grieving for a colleague who recently died, the nephew of his boss. He blames another colleague for goading Dave into taking the risks which ended his life but Jack has endeared himself to the boss. This creates huge amounts of tension within the team. Meanwhile Paolo has a positive relationship with his ex wife and they are both concerned about their daughter volunteering abroad.
At the start of the book, the team are investigating drugs at a nightclub without much success. But a murder victim is found and then her best friend is abducted and there is a link between the suspects and the club. It becomes a race against time for Paolo to find the missing woman.
Some of the book shows the murderer's perspective. We see the abuse he suffered at the hands of his grandfather and how this has caused his skewed thinking about love and relationships. This caused me mixed emotions as I pitied his life as he is desperate for love and affection but couldn't condone his actions.
Love Me Tender was a gripping police thriller and I want to catch up on the previous books in the series.

I was looking forward to reading this after reading and reviewing Rage and Retribution.

I really enjoyed that installment in the Sterling series and this book did not fail to disappoint. Reeling from the events of the last book, the team must go again to look into another case. This is made more difficult by a colleague.

They find themselves looking into the distribution of drugs after a local MP’s daughter is found dead after an unintentional overdose. Unfortunately for Sterling, the case becomes high profile with pressure being applied for the drug dealers to be brought to justice.

Along side the main story Sterling looks into the murder of another young woman, who complained of being stalked.

A brilliant addition to the series, I love the author’s writing and how she weaves her storylines together.

This is the fifth book in the DI Sterling series and as we catch up with Sterling and his team, the story really hits the ground running.

Sterling is newly promoted to the role of DCI and is still trying to deal with the grief that followed the death of one of his friends who was also a colleague of his. This has an impact on his professional relationship with another of his colleagues as he tried to piece together all that has happened, and with the added stress of the force being stretched rather thin whilst having a lot of high profile cases coming to them, tensions are high within the team.

Paolo Sterling’s team has a wonderful dynamic between them, and if you have read the previous books in this series you will understand he has quite the motive to want to find the person responsible for the many crimes they have been investigating. With an abundance of twists and turns along the way that really keeps you guessing until the very end, this is one of those books that has you well and truly hooked right to the very end.

Each of the characters in this book are realistic and believable, with each of them having their own personalities and voices that really help drive this story forward. The storyline itself is brilliantly paced and full of suspense, keeping you fully engaged throughout and desperate to obtain answers alongside the team. Another brilliant addition to what is already proving to be an unforgettable series.

I love Lorraine Mace‘s writing, so I was so excited to read Love Me Tender! This is book two for DI Sterling and I’m really enjoying this series so far.

The writing is gripping and gritty. It kept me on my toes from page one and kept me invested all the way through.

Sterling is such an excellent main character. There is so much happening in his personal life and he has to juggle that with this case. It’s impressive and I like his character development.

Loved this book. Don’t miss out!

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the review copy and the opportunity to honestly review this book on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.

Love Me Tender is an absolute page-turner that had me hooked from the very beginning. I found it easy to follow even though I haven’t read any of the previous books. The story follows the perspectives of DCI Sterling and a character only known as boy which in my opinion helped to keep his identity a mystery until it was revealed. I found that the twists made it harder to guess who the killer was and it turns out he wasn’t even on my radar so that was very interesting.

I have never been so angry about the way a book has ended before until this one. Now all I want is #JusticeforDCISterling

'Love Me Tender' by Lorraine Mace is a thriller that is the fifth book in the DCI Paolo Sterling series. A book that I found so easy to get into right away.
Newly promoted DCI Sterling responds to a tip-off and arrives at an apartment block to find the dismembered body of a young woman. And with no indication of a break-in, all signs suggest the killer was known to her. Then the victim's friend is snatched with no witnesses and the unanswered questions mount up. At the same time, Sterling's team are leading the surveillance of a local club, thought to be involved in a drug operation. But when one of his colleagues ends up in hospital close to death, Paolo begins to lose his grip. With the odds stacked against him, and time running out, can DCI Sterling uncover the truth before it's too late? Or will this case finally tip him over the edge?
A story that shows us both sides of DCI Sterlings life, his professional and personal. I always enjoy getting to know both sides of a persons life. It gives me a more indepth view of them. I quite warmed to Sterling and enjoyed the panoramic view the author created.
Then there is the Boy, that is all we learn, no name - just the Boy. We see he has committed some of the crimes and we find out about how he was brought up and what has made him turn to crime. Lorraine Mace skilfully weaves a story that gives us clues but it doesn't stand out until closer to the conclusion of the story.
I have to say this book is easily read without the previous books being read first as the author puts enough information into this one for the reader to keep up. I myself would say, if you are just dipping in with this book...you will want to go back and read the rest anyway!
A dark and gritty story with such a tightly plotted storyline that it hooks you in from the first page. The tension is almost palpable and the story begins as it means to go on, it doesn't let up in the twists, turns and drama running throughout. I was so immersed in this book I lost track of time and felt like I was actually with Sterling, that is the quality of Lorraine Mace's writing.
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources and Lorraine Mace for the copy of the book and my place on the blog tour.

I'm back with the fifth installment of the DCI Paolo Sterling. I absolutely love this series so I'm always eager to get my hands on a new book.

Love Me Tender has everything I want in a police procedural, a twisty complicated investigation, an insight into a deranged killer's mind and tenacious detectives out to solve the case.

Two cases run side by side in this novel. The first is the investigation into a club called 'The Pipe' that they believe is trafficking illegal drugs that lead to a young woman's death. The other is the death of a young woman in her flat, along with the disappearance of her friend. It's also interspersed with brief insights into the killer's mind and their warped world.

Paolo really goes through it during this story. Struggling after the death of his friend and colleague, he has a promotion thrust upon him that he doesn't want. He's also facing opposition from a member of his own team, not even mentioning the fact his love life is its usual tangled mess.

As always with this type of book there's a few gruesome scenes that are not for the faint of heart.

Love Me Tender is a dark, gritty and highly addictive read that reminded me just how much I love this series.

I would recommend reading the first book in the series, Retriever of Souls, as it gives the reader an more of an insight into the characters...
Love Me Tender is a detailed fast paced story that is well thought out and easy to follow.....
I like how Mace has created a interesting plot that is well researched in the police procedures. The story was engaging and pulled the reader in from the first page.
The character development of Love Me Tender is good. The characters are realistic and relatable. I liked the refreshing twist with the killer's thoughts and mental health....
I would recommend reading Love Me Tender to lovers of Police Procedural and Physiological Thrillers, as it is a gripping action packed drama that keeps the reader enthralled as they try to find out the identity of the killer!

This is my first read from the Detective Inspector Sterling series. Despite this being book five, I quickly connected with the detective and his team. Sterling is newly promoted to DCI. He is grieving the death of a colleague, and friend which affects his rapport with one team member. Overall the investigative team has a good dynamic, but they are overstretched with high profile cases that may have a connection.

The investigation is easy to follow several twists keep the reader guessing. The reader also has insight into the antagonist's viewpoint, which is chilling and suspenseful. There is a good balance of personal and professional insights into Sterling's life which makes him believable.

The story flows well, and the ending ties up all the leads nicely. It poses a question to be answered in the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this book from the author and Headline Accent via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This cover intrigued me so much I had to sign up for this tour. This book is part of a series which I haven't read any others of but I don't think this affected my opinion.

I was captivated from the start. I loved the short chapters and how we switched perspectives early on.

We follow DCI Sterlings while investigating a drug ring / murder / kidnapping. Do all paths lead to one? If you followed on from previous books you would obviously understand the detectives feelings more but honestly I don't think it matters.

I kept trying to guess who I thought would be the killer but I couldn't figure it out! It was so cleverly written that I just couldn't. While reading I could image this as a TV program.

The only thing for me was the daughters involvement was very erratic and what seemed irrelevant but I'm sure if I had read the rest or the next ones I'm sure it would all become apparent.

The fifth instalment of the series but easy to follow if its your first meeting with DCI Paolo Sterling. The loss he feels over the death of DS Johnson is also shared by the reader as the book progresses. Paolo is a strong character made stronger by his team and his family. A pacy book that i devoured in one sitting as each page just flowed freely one after the other. With tension and conflict between Paolo and DS Jack Cummins showcased this adds yet another layer to the already gritty novel. Another gem of book that’s a great addition to the series and one that will keep any avid reader engrossed.

I found this book to be very well written. Quite a interesting read, for sure. Would read more by the author

‘Love Me Tender’ is the fifth book in the bestselling series featuring Detective Chief Inspector Paolo Sterling. I haven’t caught up with the previous four books in the series but I am getting there. I read the synopsis for ‘Love Me Tender’ and it certainly sounded like another interesting read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Love Me Tender’ but more about that in a bit.
I have to admit that I developed something of a soft spot for DCI Sterling and I took to him from the start. He is a no nonsense police officer, with many years of experience under his belt. He leads from the front and wouldn’t ask anybody to do anything that he wouldn’t be willing to do himself. His personal life seems relatively settled at the moment but there is a certain amount of chemistry between him and his ex-partner, who also happens to be the mother of his child. They remain on friendly terms. Sterling has a bit of a thorn in his side at work. A member of his team is highly manipulative and obnoxious and I was itching to jump inside the pages of the book to give him a good hiding for disrespecting Sterling the way he does and for trying to twist the truth to suit his own needs. I won’t go too far into what happens but needless to say that they will never be the best of friends and at times I feared that they would have a punch up in the middle of the office.
It took me no time at all to get into ‘Love Me Tender’. In fact the words ‘Detective Chief Inspector Paolo Sterling’ were enough to grab my attention and the story within the covers of the book sealed the deal as it were. I binge read this book over the course of a single day. I couldn’t bear to put the book down so it travelled everywhere with me. I felt compelled to keep reading to see if Sterling could solve the crimes, if Sterling would remain employed and if his adversary at work got what was coming to him. I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough as I seemed to race through the story. I was so wrapped up in the story that I managed to shut out all other distractions and I also lost track of time. I thought that I had been reading for half an hour but I was staggered to learn that I had actually been reading for an hour or so.
‘Love Me Tender’ is superbly written but then I think that to be true of the rest of the books in the series. Lorraine certainly knows how to grab your attention and draws you into what proves to be a tense and dramatic story. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. Reading ‘Love Me Tender’ felt like being on a very unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns to it than you could possibly count. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s all thanks to Lorraine’s very vivid and realistic storytelling. For me, ‘Love Me Tender’ is a tightly plotted and gripping read that held my attention throughout and which kept me on the edge of my seat.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Love Me Tender’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more from Lorraine Mace in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Love me tender by Lorraine Mace.
Detective inspector Sterling book 5.
A dead body is found. Sterling and his team are on the case. Then someone goes missing. Are they related? Are they related to a case Paolo was working on before? Can he find Marissa alive?
Brilliant read. I love this series. I still hate Jack. I don't like his attitude. I love Paolo and Cathy and Angela. I love how they are with each other and how they work as a team. Jack doesn't. I had no idea who it was. The boy bit threw me. I'm really enjoyed it and don't want this series to end. I'm looking forward to the next book. 5*.